Wozniacki advances in China after stutter
Former world No. 1 becomes sixth player to qualify for WTA Finals
Caroline Wozniacki had a fright against a local favourite in the China Open first round yesterday before she composed herself to go through 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1.
The Dane, ranked six in the world, made an early exit from the Wuhan Open last week, stunned by Maria Sakkari of Greece.
She appeared determined to put that disappointment behind her in making a lightning-fast start in Beijing, punishing China’s Wang Qiang in the first set.
But if the fifth seed thought she was going to have it easy, she was mistaken, as the 55thranked Wang harnessed the support of the crowd to fight back.
The 25-year-old Wang sprang a surprise in taking the second set on the tie break to level the match. But former No. 1 Wozniacki, the 2010 China Open champion, regained her poise to seal the deciding set with ease. The 27-year-old faces Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in round two.
Also through is reigning China Open champion Agnieszka Radwanska, who defeated the German qualifier Carina Witthoeft 7-5, 6-3. “When you’re defending so many points, it’s always a little more pressure,” Radwanska said. “There are no easy matches and you’re going to have to play your best game from the first round. I’m very happy with a two-set win.”
Wozniacki, meanwhile, became the sixth player to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore, the WTA said. The Dane, who defended her Pan Pacific title in Tokyo last week and reached six other finals this year, joins Garbine Muguruza, Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina and Venus Williams in Singapore with two spots left.
It will be Wozniacki’s fifth
China Open Women’s singles
(first round): Lara Arruabarrena Vecino (Spain) beat 7-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 6-7(2) 7-5 6-1; Alize Cornet (France) beat Wang Yafan (China) 6-3 7-5; Julia Goerges (Germany) beat Madison Brengle (US) 6-4 6-3; Andrea Petkovic (Germany) beat Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) 6-4 6-0; 4-Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) beat Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 6-3 6-4; Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) beat Jennifer Brady (US) 6-3 6-3; 11-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Carina Witthoeft (Germany) 7-5 6-3; 5-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) beat Wang Qiang (China) 6-1 6-7(4) 6-1; Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Eugenie Bouchard (Canada) 6-4 6-3; Zhang Shuai (China) beat Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) 6-4 6-4; Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-2. appearance at the event. “I’m very excited that I’ve qualified for the WTA Finals again,” the 27-year-old said in a statement.
The top eight singles players at the $7 million prize money event will face off in a roundrobin format for the Billie Jean King Trophy. The eight best doubles teams will battle for the Martina Navratilova Trophy in a knockout format.